Question

When dehydrated human patients need to be given fluids intravenously, they are given:

a) Hypertonic saline
b) Isotonic saline
c) Hypotonic saline
d) Pure water

Answer 1

Dehydrated human patients are given isotonic saline fluids intravenously to restore the body's fluid balance without affecting red blood cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is b) Isotonic saline. When dehydrated human patients need to be given fluids intravenously, they are typically given isotonic saline. Isotonic saline has a concentration that is similar to the body's fluids and does not cause any shrinkage or swelling of the red blood cells. This helps to restore the body's fluid balance without any adverse effects on the cells.

Answer 2

To correct dehydration intravenously, isotonic saline is used because it matches the body's own fluid osmolarity and prevents damage to red blood cells.

Thus option b) Isotonic saline. is correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When dehydrated human patients need to be given fluids intravenously, they are generally given an isotonic saline solution. An isotonic solution has the same osmolarity as the body's own fluids, which ensures that red blood cells maintain their normal shape without bursting (hypotonic solution) or shrinking (hypertonic solution).

It is crucial to use an isotonic solution to correct dehydration because it matches the solute concentration of the blood and other body fluids, preventing the disruption of osmotic balance across cell membranes.

LibreTexts™ mentions that typical isotonic solutions include 0.9% m/v NaCl solution in water which is synonymous with normal saline. If a solution causes red blood cells to burst, it would indicate that the solution was in fact hypotonic, not isotonic, as the influx of water into the cells would lead to lysis (bursting).

Thus option b) Isotonic saline. is correct answer.